‘I never knew what it’s like to have a father’

Sharjah: Having lost his father when only three months young, Afghanistan’s teenage prodigy Mujeeb Ur Rahman is unsure what sort of dad he will turn out to be.

“Honestly, I don’t even know what a dad is supposed to be because I never even got to see mine. I have absolutely no memories of what it is have to a dad. And right now, I don’t even know what it would mean to be a dad in real life,” Mujeeb told Gulf News at the Ramada Hotel and Suites Ajman.

“I have no idea of what it is to have a father and I think I have missed out on that aspect in my life but at various stages of my life, I have had so many people who have helped me go through life as a person and as a cricketer. Raees Sir [Raees Khan Ahmadzai, former player and now the senior advisor to the Player Selection Committee on the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB)] has always been a father figure to me. My cousin Noor Ali [also a former Afghan cricketer] too has stood by me along with my three brothers who constantly support me to reach my best,” he added.

Growing up, Mujeeb used to join his three older brothers playing tape-ball or tennis ball cricket. Also a good student, he went on to complete his Std XII. “We used all play together with our other cousins and none of my brothers ever told me whether I should play or not. They were okay with me playing cricket all the time, and even now they are okay. After my schooling, I had to choose and luckily I chose well,” Mujeeb added.

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